Thailand Mission and Cultural Trip 2014 - Journal 1

We have arrived in Thailand to begin our second decade of partnering with the Thai people in wholistic mission and an exchange of culture – learning and teaching. In 2003, as Walla Walla College’s Vice President for Spiritual Life and Mission, I visited Thailand for a General Conference Youth Congress. At that time I had discussions with the Thailand Mission officials, Chiang Mai Academy leadership, and the administration of Mission College, and they all expressed deep interest in having an on-going partnership with WWC. The first trip, which included six from campus, and a number of our Student Missionaries teaching at Ekamai (a private Adventist English school in Bangkok), was on the western border with Myanmar (Burma) where we built a church as our main project. The following year we were at Chiang Mai Academy. There we assisted in building the Elementary dorm, conducted Week of Prayer, and conducted up-grading and continuing education classes for their teachers. We also had the privilege of sponsoring needy students. One of the 13 I baptized that year, and we are still sponsoring, is almost finished her accounting degree at the University here. During the trip of 2005 I had extensive discussions with the President of Mission College and her Cabinet regarding having a long-term partnership with our both institution, operating in a number of areas. Walla Walla College President’s Cabinet also voted to adopt Thailand as the major long-term country in the 10-40 geographical region (with its over 90% Buddhist population), as a focus for mission and culture. Since that time the President, and the VP for Academic Administration have been Commencement speakers; I have conducted a week of “Festival of Faith” (Week of Prayer); the Dean of the School of Engineering have been in discussion with the University for collaborative endeavors; Paul Dybdhal of WWU School of Theology have taught in their summer program; and I have taken about 12 – 20 students (and as high as 30), employees, alumni, and friends on an annual Mission and Cultural Trip. The mission is wholistic. The endeavor is to introduce them to the Jesus as portrayed in the Gospels, through helping, teaching, and friending. In 2009 I outlined the philosophical grounding of the project in the final blog of that year. You can read it here:  (http://blessingsfrompedrito.blogspot.com/2009/08/thai-09-journal-24.html) .

This year we have our smallest group. The timing is bad for many who wanted to come. But there is a change in the academic calendar here, and this was the best time for all concerned. But next year we will return to an end of August to September schedule. With me on the team are: Jesse Hutson (who will arrive tomorrow – flight delay out of Portland made her miss her connection in San Francisco); Rob Greenwell from Hawaii; Susan Bebee a WWC alumna; and Tiffany Galaviz, an alumna who just complete a year as an SM in Hawaii.

I was surprised when I got out of Customs and went to get a new SIM card for my phone to find that the card and number from last year is still active. So here it is again:

My cell-phone # (66) 925-600-829

PS. Many of you have been praying for the political situation in Thailand. I can assure you that everything is calm and stable. There is no extra military presence at the airport. Right now it is 2:00am and we are on the road – just did out annual arrival stop at 7-Eleven (they are EVERYWHERE). There is nothing unusual; everybody is going about their business normally, even at this hour of the morning. But thanks for your prayers and continued support. Blessings!